Chapter 13 Black Tulips

"Hurry up, you damned oaf! Are you courting death by dawdling? Lord is taking inventory of your household. Move it, put on some clothes, gather your wife and children, and assemble in the open space up front. If anyone's missing, I'll break your legs myself!"

The patrolman pounded on the thatched cottage door with a show of authority, bellowing inside.

In no time, all the farmers of Barley Village emerged from their homes and, under the patrolman's stern orders, assembled in the empty space.

They chattered in twos and threes, occasionally glancing at the table in the center of the clearing. Seated behind it was a forty-year-old woman, elegantly dressed in a dark green dress, sorting through a stack of thick parchment. Behind her stood a young maid, assisting in diluting the ink in a teapot.

"Who might that be?"

"I've never seen her before."

"Fool, she must be one of the castle's maids!"

"Exactly, look at her attire. It's impeccably pressed. Only the Lord's maids could wear such tidy and clean clothes, unlike us, stinky and creased."

"What is Lord doing? I heard from his yes-man that he's ordering a... what was it again?"

"It's a census." An elderly farmer, chewing on the root of some plant, said, "Ten years ago, His Excellency the Earl sent someone to conduct one. Back then, in Barley Village, we had... we had... so many peasant households, much more than now. Ah, seven years ago, that heavy snow killed so many people."

At the table.

The previously arrogant patrolman was now bowing his head respectfully to the two maids. "Mrs. Mo Sen, Miss Mycogen, all the serfs of Barley Village have gathered."

"I'm not a miss, I'm just a maid at the castle," Mycogen Cowtail replied, pleased with being addressed as such, and asked with a smile, "Is everyone here? Don't miss anyone out, or Lord Liszt will punish us, including you."

"Of course, of course. I guarantee they wouldn't dare hide."

Mrs. Mo Sen nodded. "Alright then. Go and get them to come over one by one. Once their households have been counted, they can go straight home and not return for registration."

"Understood."

The patrolman began leading the peasant households to the table one by one.

Mrs. Mo Sen asked according to what Liszt had prepared beforehand, "Are you the head of the household? What's your name?"

"Ho... Hopp, ma'am."

"Don't be nervous, Mr. Hopp. I need your full name."

"Oh, alright... Alright, my name is Hopp Stench."

"So, Mr. Hopp, is your entire family here? There are five of you, correct? What's your wife's name, and the names of your two sons and daughter... How old are you, what's your occupation, and what do you mainly do? Is it the same for your wife? Has your eldest son started working?"

Mrs. Mo Sen swiftly concluded her questioning and began jotting down the information on a thick parchment.

Slaveholder - Hopp Stench, age 37, grows barley, all limbs intact; Wife - Simon Stench, age 34, grows barley, all limbs intact; Eldest son - Ropo Stench, age 20, grows oats, lame foot; Second son - Peter Stench, age 17, grows barley, all limbs intact; Daughter - Lily Stench, age 15, raises chickens at home, all limbs intact.

After recording the details, Mrs. Mo Sen verified them once more.

Satisfied with the accuracy, she spoke gently, "Mr. and Mrs. Hopp, your family may return home now."

"Oh, alright... Alright."

This process continued for only a day. Stack after stack of parchment was delivered to the castle, to Liszt's desk, marking the completion of the census in Flower Town.

"Liszt, it's incredible. A task of such complexity was effortlessly handled by you.

"You'll make an excellent lord, undoubtedly," Gort praised. "Master Gort, hold off on the compliments for now. Please compile the numbers from each village and present them to me."

"I'm at your service."

Perhaps Liszt's swift actions put pressure on Gort, motivating this follower who had not been appointed as an advisor to work late into the night with a candle burning.

The next morning.

The compiled data already lay before Liszt, who had finished his breakfast and knightly training.

"Sir, Lord Gort stayed up all night. When he delivered the information, his eyes were bloodshot," Carter reported, holding the thick parchment.

"Treat him to good food and wine, but we should also repay his efforts somehow. Flower Town needs to develop, and I don't want my territory to remain as dreary as it was in the past."

Carter seemed lost in thought for a moment before responding, "Sir, I feel as if I'm seeing a glimpse of the young, ambitious Viscount that Lord Earl once was. In just five years, he rose to the rank of Earl and established the Tulip Family's rule over Coral Island. It's the fortunate fate of all the townsfolk that you're their lord."

"Perhaps so," Liszt said without humility.

He calmly flipped through the thick parchment, which, despite its size, did not contain much content. Even with the tiny script written by a quill, it could only record so many details.

"Parchment, how archaic."

"Sire, we have very little parchment left; we've consumed four-fifths of our stock."

"I'm aware, I'll find a solution." Papermaking had long been on Liszt's agenda, awaiting the right moment to be addressed.

After half an hour, he had all the data about Flower Town at his fingertips.

There were altogether eight villages.

In Flower Town itself, there were 257 households and 907 people, with 41 households and 125 free citizens, while the rest were serfs.

In Peanut Village, there were 23 households and 92 people, all of whom were serfs.

Mushroom Village consisted of 68 households and 211 people, all serfs as well.

In Tomato Village, there were 30 households and 152 people, among which 10 households and 28 individuals were free citizens, and the rest were serfs.

Lastly, in Barley Village, there were 48 households and 155 people, all of whom were serfs.

Wheat Village, with 101 households and 342 people, all of whom were serfs.

Flower Farm, consisting of 21 households and 54 people, also all serfs.

Dairy Farm, with 18 households and 60 people, likewise, all serfs.

In the entire Flower Town, there were 584 households and 1,973 people. Only 51 households, amounting to 153 individuals, were free citizens; the rest were serfs. On the castle side, there were 10 servants, 4 vassal knights, and two followers, Gort and Marcus, including Liszt himself, making a total of 17 people.

Both Gort and Marcus had families, but they were in Coral City and had not followed. Perhaps they were unwilling to come or simply needed more time before joining.

Therefore, the total population of Flower Town was 1,990.

The vast majority were engaged in agriculture, cultivating barley, wheat, oats, tomatoes, mushrooms, peanuts, tulips, and raising dairy cows, along with a small number of chickens, ducks, geese, pigs, dogs, and sheep.

Only seven percent of the population were involved in craftsmanship.

There was one tailor shop, blacksmith, carpentry shop, bakery, mill, general store, tannery, barber shop, and locksmith's shop each.

"Enough detail has been gathered in this census. I should have completed the task now," Liszt thought as he pushed aside the thick parchment, its faintly pungent smell lingering in the air.

Just then, the old butler Carter approached once more. "My lord, wonderful news! The manager of the Flower Farm has come to report something joyous to you."

Upon hearing the words "Flower Farm," Liszt's eyes lit up, and he had a good idea of what the reward for the quest might be. "Where is he? Ask him to come over… What is this joyful news?"

"It's an unseen black tulip, my lord. I shall bring him to you right away."